Simple as That
by I.Dream.Of.Hardyz
Summary: When Matt meets a woman in a supermarket, he quickly finds himself falling for her but she isn't so quick to open her heart. And as he gets to know her, how can he get her to understand that she's the one he wants and the one for her? Matt Hardy/OC
1. Names, numbers, and marriage proposals

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Hey folks! Like I need another story, but this came to me today for some reason and I just had to write it. Um, for some of you, the OC in this may sound familiar if you read one of my stories. She's one of my favorite OCs that I created so I wanted to give her another run around and that's all I'll say, haha. Please read and review... and enjoy! :)

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Relaxation. When was the last time he had that? With a smile, Matt Hardy sunk into his hot tub and closed his eyes. No work for five days. All his errands had been finished. His schedule was clear. This was utter ecstasy for him. It was—

"YO, MATT!" a demon (better known as Shannon Moore) yelled, interrupting his moment. "Man, you're out of beer!"

Matt sat up in irritation as Shannon came into the room, looking like a five-year-old ready to throw a temper tantrum. "That's because you drank all of it earlier, asshole," Matt told him pleasantly. Then, he closed his eyes and prepared to ignore one of his best friends. Paradise was in arm's reach…

"But _Matt_, we're all off for the next week or so and we need to start it off _right_. And to do that I need alcohol." Shannon's whines made it nearly impossible to relax. Each word went up an octave, taking a nerve of Matt's each time. "I. Need. Alcohol."

"Go _away_," Matt muttered. "In fact, go home. And take Kimo with you. Soon enough I won't have anything left in my house."

"This is why you should take me to the food store."

Matt scowled. "Do you not understand the meaning of 'go away', Shannon?"

Shannon smiled. "Nope. I need alcohol."

"So why don't you go up there and get it?"

"Because I've had three beers already and that would compromise my safety on the road. Don't drink and drive, man." Matt wasn't sure if his best friend was trying to piss him off or not, or if he was just being his normally immature self but he was also smart enough to know Shannon could be as stubborn as him and wouldn't go away anytime soon. And as the only sober one left in the house, he'd have to drive to the 24-hour supermarket up the road or never rest peacefully.

"Fine," Matt grumbled with a sigh. "But you're paying for it. I've bought the shit for the past—"

"SWEET!" Shannon yelled happily. "Yo, Kimo! Alcohol is in arm's reach, dude!"

Matt rolled his eyes. He needed to invest in a muzzle to keep him quiet.

-

Twenty minutes later, Matt, Shannon, and Kimo were headed toward the store, Shannon talking about something Matt really wasn't listening to. The occasional 'mhm' and 'yeah' seemed to keep the blonde haired Carolinian happy. All he wanted to do was relax. _Why_ didn't it occur to him that inviting friends over wouldn't allow this?

As he pulled into the parking lot, all noticed it was fairly empty except for a few cars parked up front. They walked in together, Shannon quickly heading for the back of the store with Kimo, fighting over which beer they were getting. It struck Matt weird that he wasn't in the mood for alcohol that night—he was always in the mood for alcohol.

Trailing the aisles slowly, his tired eyes scanned items such as Campbell's soup and Rice a Roni. The next aisle happened to be the sweets. Hello cheat day! Matt grinned as he saw the last package of Entenmann's chocolate donuts just about twenty feet away. Maybe something would go right that night after all.

He headed for the donuts, dreaming of chocolate-goodness so he didn't see the woman heading for the same package. They collided as both hands reached for the same product.

Matt was the first to look up, startled. _Where did she come from?_ he thought. Then he got a second look. She was gorgeous. The easy-beautiful type, one with light blue eyes and shiny blonde hair. And now she was staring at him too.

"Sorry," she said in a small voice, her face blushed with red. Her gorgeous eyes were toward the floor, far from the contact of Matt's brown eyes. "I didn't see you."

Matt chuckled. "Same here. I guess donuts must be high on everyone's shopping list tonight."

The blonde haired girl nodded. "Yeah."

As much as Matt wanted the donuts, he couldn't help but feel the 'Southern Gentleman' gene kick in. He picked up the mostly white box and handed them to her. "Here," he said with a smile. "You can have them."

For the first time, she looked him in the eye, a genuine smile on her face. "Thanks," she replied. And like that, she was going to leave.

There was no way he was letting the stunning woman leave without a name… number… marriage proposal. Okay, maybe the last one was going a _bit_ too far, but another gene was kicking in: the 'hot-woman-man-like' gene and that one was telling him to find our more about her, even with her shy stature.

"Hey!" he called in a rising voice. "Wait!"

It seemed to pain her to turn around, Matt thinking from embarrassment (to which he couldn't figure out why). "Yes?"

"I'm Matt. And you are…?"

She tried to smile, but failed. Yet, it was beautiful. A lopsided grin that happened to have a playful and adorable way to it. "I'm Ayla," she replied quietly, "Ayla Sarver."

He couldn't let her leave with that. "Are you from Cameron? I haven't seen you around here."

"No, I'm passing through tonight. Most of the supermarkets in Vass were closed."

"So you live in Vass?"

"No," she continued. "I'm on vacation. I live in California."

_Well fuck,_ Matt thought sadly. _Why must I meet a perfectly gorgeous woman and she be on vacation here?_

"Oh," Matt said lamely. "… I hope you enjoy North Carolina." And with that, he backed away, his tail between his legs like a scolded dog. So much for anything going right that night.

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**So that's the first chapter. I'll get more interesting, I promise. :) READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	2. Shannon Moore is a genius!

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Thank you for the reviews. ^__^ I'm glad everyone is liking it so far, hehe. ;D Anyway, it's gonna get interesting-er (I know that's not a word, lol) soon enough. I promise. :) Here is a new chapter. Read and review and enjoy!

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Ayla's heart hammered in her chest as she walked to the register with the donuts she no longer wanted. What were the odds that when she visited North Carolina she'd run into Matt Hardy? Her friends joked about it with her, being a Hardy fan all her life, saying it would be perfect to run into them somewhere. She'd brushed it off as just a mere chance of one in a million. And suddenly, she was that one.

"I need to get out of here," Ayla murmured, scanning her eyes toward the register with the least amount of people on it. Considering it was late at night and everyone who had sense was in bed, it wasn't hard to find. But also considering Matt Hardy (who probably wasn't alone) was probably going to come in the same direction soon enough, she needed to get out of there.

A small smile fell onto her lips, making the young man behind the register blink a few times, as she placed down the donuts, some tea bags, and a small box of garbage bags (for dirty clothes). "Will that be all, miss?" the man asked her.

She nodded, the hairs crawling on her neck as the sound of Matt's voice wavered closer. He was talking about her, no less. With him were Shannon Moore, and another guy she recognized from The Hardy Show that she couldn't place name-wise. "Thank you," she gasped, grabbing her lone shopping bag, nearly doubling out of the door.

Matt, on the other hand, watched her go with sadness in her eyes. He got such a strange vibe from her. It didn't seem like she knew who he was, or maybe she did and wasn't one of those excitable fans. Either way, there was something about her that made him stop and stare as Shannon and Kimo put the things (and beer) on the register.

No doubt about it, she was drop dead gorgeous too. Even Shannon and Kimo had agreed, both with girlfriends of their own. You can't just ignore a beautiful woman.

"Stop staring at her, man," Kimo said with a laugh, smacking him hard on the back. Matt gritted his teeth. "She's gone. Forget about her. There plenty of other hot babes in the sea."

Shannon nodded beside him. "Yeah, man. And if she had any sense, she obviously would have stayed and talked to you."

Matt turned around to look at Shannon. "What?"

A blush formed on Shannon's cheeks. "Just trying to help."

"Please don't give me love advice, Shannon." Matt had to chuckle at this. Shannon Moore giving love advice. It was funny.

-

The next few days passed uneventfully at the Hardy household. Matt acted like he lived normally in his house, cleaning the places that hadn't seen a swifter or a mop in months, if not years. Living away made it hard to clean in the first place and being the type who didn't like cleaning either didn't help him any. At least when Beth and Jeff were still living with him, Beth would clean a little. He missed having someone to help out when he was away.

Shannon Moore, who had made another appearance at his house, this time with all three of his dogs in tow, was sitting on the back porch, watching as Hela and Dragon attacked each other playfully.

Matt sat down next to him and shook his head. "They sure think they are huge, don't they?"

"My warriors," Shannon chirped. Then, he looked at Matt with curiosity. "What's with the face?"

At first, Matt didn't want to mention it. Ever since the night at the supermarket, all Shannon and his other friends had done was tease him and make fun of everything that happened that night. But the truth was the girl was appearing in his dreams now. Ayla Sarver would not just leave his mind. Call him crazy, but he had to see her again.

So he told Shannon this, feeling stupid. "I don't know what's wrong with me," Matt mumbled pitifully. "I feel like some lovesick teenager lusting after the hottest girl in school."

"Ooh, Angela Markson," Shannon cooed, completely going off topic. "She was a babe, man."

Matt nodded, and then shook his head. Forget the girls he went to school with! It was just an example. "What do I do?" Matt asked with a sigh. "I can't just let this go."

"You have to, man." Shannon patted his shoulder. He stood up then and walked over to the dogs, pulling Hela into his arms. "I mean, it's not like you can go to every hotel in Vass and find her."

Matt jumped up like something had burned him. "That's it, Shannon! You're a genius!"

Shannon looked up. "I am?"

"Yes!" And before Shannon could ask, Matt ran into the house, going out of his line of vision.

Shannon shrugged, putting his dog back down. "I knew I was a genius."

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**I'm sorry. I can't help but tease Shannon, lol. READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	3. Sandwiches and sanity

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Sorry for the wait of this. :) But have no fear, update is here! Thank you for the reviews ^__^ and enjoy!

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Three hotels and no relief later, Matt collapsed in a small deli shop, stopping for lunch before going to the last four hotels in the Vass area. He'd gone to all those hotels, none of them containing the woman he'd seen the night before. The people were helpful too; it wasn't like they found him creepy. After describing Ayla – and definitely not doing her justice in his mind – all apologized and sent him on his way.

Matt cupped his head in his hands. Why would this woman not leave his head? He thought about it for a good ten minutes while the older man behind the counter made his lunch. Even after the man gave him the Italian sub, Matt still had Ayla on his mind, but a conclusion had been reached. Ayla had to be his soul mate. He'd seen plenty of stunning girls in his day. Hell, look into the crowd during a WWE show and you'll see a handful of beautiful girls. But there was something about Ayla that made his heart race. It had to be more than lust. This girl couldn't just be another woman in his mind. He wanted her. He _really_ wanted her.

As if fate was on his side for once, Ayla walked into the deli shop, not seeing Matt. She had her purse in her hands, holding it tightly as if someone would steal it. Call him crazy, but he'd never seen someone look so good in jeans and a pale pink t-shirt before. Matt was mesmerized by her curves, the way she laughed at the older man as he took her order. The way ever few minutes, she'd tuck a strand of hair behind her ear – it seemed to continuously fall out of place.

And then there was her nervous habit. Her fingers were constantly tapping something. That or they were playing with something. After she had set down a menu, they went right to play with the candy display in front of her, though her eyes showed no interest of buying any. Then, when she realized this, her hands fell to her side where she began to tap them on her light wash jeans.

Matt was so engrossed in watching her, he hadn't realized he was probably staring with the most dumb expression ever. How could anyone blame him though? She wasn't a model by any means, but to him she was more beautiful than any of them. This woman captured his heart and was holding it hostage. How ridiculous was he acting?

Like a chain reaction, Matt stood, walking over there with a false confidence. Truly, he was a little apprehensive to go up to her after she had turned him down. Okay, maybe she hadn't turned him down, but it was obvious that if she was given the chance, she would have. Though Ayla had struck his heart by her looks, he was sure she wasn't the type to just agree to anything.

"Ayla," he spoke, his voice soft. Why was he so nervous? He stood in front of a camera for his career, spent hours meeting fans, was on national television being watched by millions. And yet she made him nervous.

The blonde woman turned around, startled. "Oh, hi."

Her response was a little less than he had hoped. More recognition, maybe. "Jeez, you must be stalking me or something."

She smiled a little, grabbing her sandwich and walking over to a table, pouring herself a fountain soda of Coca Cola. "No."

"Would you like to sit with me?" Matt asked, his tone very hopeful. "I mean, I'm sitting alone. You're sitting alone…"

She paused, holding her tray. He watched as her eyes wavered from the table before her, to his. Then, she shrugged and nodded. "Okay."

_Yes!_ She followed him to his table, sitting down on the opposite side. "So, how do you like the Carolina air?"

"It's nice. I grew up in the south, so it's not too different."

"You're not from California?"

She smiled, her face very relaxed for a moment. Then, she laughed. "Do I look like a California girl to you?"

The more that he thought about it, no, she hadn't. And maybe that was what was so attracting about her. She had the girl next door, southern bell thing going for her. "No," he agreed. "You don't. So why move to California? I mean, I've been there, it's nice and all. But I've always preferred the south, myself."

"I took a job. It was well paid and I got great health benefits. Besides, I'm not really all that wild. Moving to California was probably the craziest thing I've done in years."

"What do you do?"

Ayla had to smile. It was obvious Matt was very into knowing more about her. And it also seemed he didn't seem to care to tell her he was famous, even if she already knew. Besides, she wasn't about to make herself look like a rabid fan girl. It was already nerve-racking enough to be sitting inches from him. Just wait – when she told her best friend she was having lunch with Matt Hardy, she'd go ballistic.

"I work for a magazine. Love's Hope. You might have seen it on the stands sometime."

Matt blushed a little, taking a bite of his sandwich. When he swallowed, he shook his head. "No offense to you, but I'm not really one to read the magazine stands at the store."

He got a laugh from her. Matt smiled as she smiled back. "None taken. Besides, it's a woman's magazine anyway. You probably wouldn't be all that interested."

"Probably not."

A silence overcame the two. Matt's brain went into overload, trying to figure out a way to keep Ayla around, seeing her sandwich was almost gone from her tray and soon, they'd go their separate ways again. "Ayla, can I ask you something?"

She peered up, wiping her mouth. "Sure."

"I mean, I don't know if you know who I am, and I hope you—"

"I know who you are. I'm a fan, actually."

Matt smiled. "You certainly didn't take me as one."

"I'm a bit more on the quiet side," she admitted.

"I see," he said, nodding. "Anyway, I mean, being a wrestler doesn't stop me from doing what I want to. And I'd like to take you out tonight, if that'd be alright with you. I just didn't want to pressure you into anything because I know firsthand how it can get being with me, especially in public at times. Damn, I sound cocky, but I don't mean to be."

Ayla remained quiet. Had Matt Hardy just asked her out on a date?

Matt continued, "Anyway, would you? I mean, if you want to." Why was he stammering over his words? So embarrassing!

Ayla sighed. "Matt, I'm not really from around here and—"

"I thought you'd probably turn me down."

"And I don't really—wait, what?"

"I said, I thought you'd probably turn me down."

This time, she seemed perplexed. "Why?"

"Because last night, at the supermarket, you just gave me that vibe. But I had to see you again. I didn't expect to see you here, trust me, but I think its God's way of giving me a second chance. I was hoping that was what it meant, anyway. But obviously, it wasn't."

"Matt, I would love to, but I really can't."

"I understand," he replied, trying to not look hurt. "But, I mean, I'm not asking for your hand in marriage. Hell, we don't have to even consider it a date. As friends, you know?"

Ayla sighed. He was really stubborn, wasn't he?

"You're not going to let me leave until I say yes, are you?"

Matt smiled. "Nope."

So, with a heavy head, and a slightly freaked heart, Ayla nodded. "Alright."

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**To someone: you're welcome. ;D READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	4. Here we go

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Yippeee! I'm in a good mood tonight. Not much to say. I'd say thank you for the reviews, but well, there wasn't any, LOL. Anyway, enjoy!

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About an hour later, Ayla sat in her hotel room, reflecting on her decision to go on a date with Matt Hardy. She had to be crazy, how could she even _think_ of saying no to a date with him? Of course, since Matt said it wasn't a date (when it clearly was) she guessed it didn't matter, but it truly did. What had she done?

As if her friend had mind reading powers, her cell phone rang. "Hello?" Ayla asked, knowing who was on the other side.

"Hey girrrrrl," her friend, Abby said from the other line. "How's Carolina?"

"You won't believe anything I'm about to tell you."

Abby squealed. "Man, you got hitched to Matt Hardy! Girl, I can't believe you didn't call me. I should have been the maid of honor in that wedding, man. I called it, didn't I?"

Ayla's face fell flat. She hated her Abby's constant joke that one day she and Matt would be married. She also was annoyed by Abby's more than normal behavior of babbling. And the scariest part was that she probably didn't know her accusation did have something to do with Matt. "Abby, I didn't marry Matt. Give it up."

"Have there been any Hardy sightings yet?"

She could just see Abby. She was probably hanging upside down from her bed, her cell phone glued to her ear, the biggest and dorkiest of smiles glued to her face. Abby was much louder than Ayla, much more quick to make accusations like "getting hitched to Matt Hardy". In fact, that was her regular behavior. "Well…" Ayla trailed off. How do you tell something like that to her?"

But Abby picked up on it quickly. "OH MY GOD!" she shrieked. "THERE HAS! DETAILS NOW! I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING AND SHANNON MOORE BETTER BE ON HIS WAY TO MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW. GOT IT?"

She pulled her cell away from her ear. _Thank you for the hearing aid at an early age,_ Ayla thought dryly. "Relax, Abby. Or I won't tell you."

"Okay, okay. Spill. Now."

Ayla laughed a little. She did miss her best friend. "Well, I was at the food store last night, actually. I was totally craving donuts for some reason. Of all things, you know? So, I'm walking down the aisle…" She went on with her story, making sure she told everything she remembered. If she didn't, Abby would be on her instantly.

"Oh, man. When you're married and having babies, you can tell them you first met in the junk food aisle."

_"Abby,_" she groaned loudly. "Please cut the sarcastic commentary."

"Who said it was sarcastic?"

Ayla rolled her eyes. "There's more."

"OH MY GOD, YOU ARE MARRIED!"

"No." She went on to tell her about her lunch with Matt, and reluctantly told the slightly younger girl about her "not-date" with Matt that night, only to pull the phone away quickly.

Abby was hysterical on the other line. "OH MY GOD! So, can I go pick out my dress at David's Bridal yet, please? Please? I look great in pink and green. Ooh, I have a great—"

"It's _not_ a date," Ayla said flatly. "And there will be no wedding. It's a friend night."

"Oh yeah, sure."

Ayla narrowed her eyes. "Goodbye, Abby."

"Oh, yeah, hang up on me because you KNOW THE TRUTH!" Just before Ayla hung up, she heard Abby yell, "SHANNON MOORE BETTER BE ON HIS WAY!"

As Ayla set down the phone, she had to laugh. Only Abby could be Abby.

-

Matt sat in the kitchen, beside his brother, Shannon, and Beth, the goofiest of smiles on his face. "I am a happy man."

"It's about time you've got a girl on a date," Jeff joked.

Matt glared at Jeff. "Shut up, asshole," he replied. "Besides, the only way I could get her to agree was by saying it wasn't a date. Hopefully I can work some of the Hardy Boys charm and get a second date."

Beth snorted from beside him. "What Hardy Boys charm?"

"The one I picked you up with, dear," Jeff said, smiling down at Beth. She flipped him the bird. Everyone laughed as Matt kept on smiling. "Anyway," Jeff continued, "I mean, I'm glad you're going on a date with the chick, but there is a problem, man."

"And that would be…?" As far as Matt was concerned, there wasn't a problem.

"She's from California."

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"She's from California. She's on vacation. She won't be here forever."

Matt glared at Jeff. "I said, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Now, if you excuse me, I have a date to get ready for."

Jeff sighed. "Am I so wrong for bringing it up?" he asked once Matt was out of sight. "I mean, I'm glad he's going out on a date. I am. But this girl doesn't seem to want a relationship and even if she does, she's from across the country. It'd be hard enough to see a girl from around here with his schedule."

Shannon and Beth shrugged. "It's Matt," Shannon said with a laugh. "He always figures something out."

-

Matt drove through the streets of Vass, excited to pick up Ayla from the front of her hotel. He was talking her to a Japanese restaurant just off the highway, one that many from the area, as well as not from the area happened to rave about. When he arrived, he saw Ayla looking gorgeous. She had on a denim skirt, one that fell just above her knees, and a spaghetti strap top, covered with a light camisole, the color peach. When she saw Matt, she smiled and waved.

He pulled over, a similar, more confident smile on his face. "You look great."

Ayla smiled, ignoring the date-like comment. She wasn't on a date, she had to remember. She was out with a friend. A friend that happened to be a world famous wrestler. "Thank you."

"So, we're going to this restaurant about five minutes away. It's a Japanese place. Great food. Hope that's okay."

He was so quick to jump into conversation. At least, she wouldn't have to bring up small talk until they arrived. It seemed Matt would do a fine job at that. "That's fine," Ayla assured him. "I'm sure it's great."

"It is," Matt continued, "my boys and I go there all the time."

"Jeff too?"

Matt laughed. "Jeff too." There was a brief pause before Matt asked, "How long have you been a fan?"

"Back to the Team Extreme days, actually. A wrestling fan even longer."

"Way back," Matt commented. "That's cool."

"Mhm." The car fell silent and neither were so quick to bring anything up. It was actually quite comfortable, to mostly Ayla's surprise. She was sure soon as she stepped into the car, she'd regret her decision. After all, she was just a small town girl. How did she belong in a car on a "not-date" with Matt Hardy of all people? But, like many had mentioned to her before, Matt had a way of easing people.

"We're here," Matt announced minutes later. "You ready?"

"You bet."

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**To someone: you're welcome. ;D READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	5. I guess it's gonna have to hurt

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Okay. :) Yay, finally updating. ;D Thank you for the reviews. I think this story is really coming along nicely - and I got more up my sleeve, don't worry. To someone: don't hate me! ;D *posts and runs* Enjoy!

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Another surprise came to Ayla as Matt came around the side of his car and opened the door for her. She smiled up at him, the look of pure glee in her eyes. A southern gentleman really still did exist. Then, she stopped herself. They weren't on a date (at least, not in her eyes). Right? Ayla forced herself to calm down for a moment and then followed Matt up the sidewalk toward the entrance, where a wonderful smell wavered from.

"Given first impressions," Ayla said quietly enough that Matt had to strain to hear her, "this place looks great."

Matt smiled. "Just wait until you try the food."

He was disappointed that Ayla wouldn't try the sushi that the Japanese restaurant was known for and instead picked a less bold choice of Chicken stir-fry with fried rice. But it didn't stop him from staring at her and smiling. Just knowing that they were together at a restaurant was enough for him. He could lay on the southern charm and continue the fun later on. For now, he was eager to know more about her. Obviously, since she was a fan (and not a starstruck one at that) she knew plenty about him.

"So, Ayla," Matt said while he wiped his mouth. "What do you like to do for fun?"

Ayla looked at him for a moment and then delicately shrugged her shoulders. "I work a lot. It's pretty time consuming but at the end of the day it's worth it, you know? But when I'm not working, I do enjoy writing for fun. Reading too. Movies… mostly normal things. Girly things." She shrugged again, smiling at him with uncertainty.

"What's your favorite movie?"

Ayla didn't speak. All the questions being thrown at her were making her nervous. She was probably over-thinking it, but it made her nervous. "I have a few," she finally replied. "What about you?"

"The Punisher." Matt smiled eagerly. "Love it."

Much to Matt's disappointment (and to Ayla's relief), after a few more questions, both were done with dinner and soon it was time to leave. Matt was panicking. He wanted to see this girl again. He couldn't just drop her off back at her hotel and let it be. Never see her again. It couldn't be. Back at the supermarket, he felt something. And he wasn't going to let that feeling go. But if it was something he has learned during dinner it was that Ayla got anxious easily and if he pressed too much, she may just run all together. That would be a disaster. How could he go about this?

"The food was lovely tonight," Ayla said softly as they neared her hotel. She was glad during the ride Matt had been quiet and allowed her to sit peacefully without a game of 20 questions. Though she did notice the look on his face that hinted he was thinking about something deeply. And if it was one thing she knew about being a Matt Hardy fan, that could be very bad.

"I'm glad you liked it," Matt responded absently. "It's one of my favorites."

"It was lovely," Ayla repeated quietly.

Matt sucked down a breath as the car came to a stop. He could feel the tension building already and he hadn't even said anything yet. "Ayla," he said quietly, his voice gentle. "About tonight."

"I had a nice time." She offered him a smile, as if that would settle anything he was about to say.

"I did too. But… well," he said, "I'd like to do it again, I mean, if you didn't mind. Maybe actually call it a date this time." Silence overcame the already quiet car and Matt could hear them both breathing. Ayla wasn't looking him in the eye, which worried him. He feared something like this would happen.

She sighed and turned to look at him. "I meant what I said about tonight being nice," she said in an equally hushed voice. "But for the sake of things… I need to say no." She pressed her lips together, smiling a little. She didn't want to, seeing the crushed look on Matt's face, but she felt she had to do something. This couldn't happen. There were too many negatives to outweigh the positives. _Way_ too many negatives. "I'm sorry, Matt. I am. Have a good night."

Back in her hotel room, Ayla paced, her breathing coming out in small, raspy fits. What had she done? She knew the reason she was feeling so apprehensive: she liked tonight. When she wasn't trying to calm down, she found Matt to be what she expected: a nice guy with a good heart. And that needed to be pushed out of her mind because if it wasn't, she may just go looking for him. That really couldn't happen.

Matt, on the other hand, was sitting in the same spot, his head in his hands. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he keep a girl or even get one interested? All his closest friends were in relationships. Shane was with Velvet Sky from TNA wrestling. Jeff had been with Beth for over ten years. Even immature Shannon was in a relationship. Why couldn't he find the one? It wasn't like he was repulsive or anything? Sure, he had a bit of an ego at times, but who didn't? He just wanted someone to like him for him. He just wanted someone to love him. To fill that void in his heart. Call it sappy, but it was true. He wanted to be loved.

It took him several more minutes to get himself out of his own very pity party and to drive home. One more glance at the hotel and he said goodbye to the feeling that he thought could actually mean something. Again, to turn out to nothing. He had to face it: Ayla Sarver wasn't interested in him.

Ayla sat in the window, watching as he pulled away. Then, something in her heart gave a tug. And a single tear fell.

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**Blame Carrie Underwood lyrics for this chapter. It's 3:08a.m. and I'm pretty wired on sugar, haha. READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	6. Second chances

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Yayy, updating again. I don't imagine this story too long. Maybe about ten or eleven chapters. But I think it's going to turn out swell. Yay! Not much else to say. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy! :)

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Matt arrived home to see all the lights still on inside of his house. This probably meant that his brother, Beth, and Shannon were all inside waiting to hear how the date with Ayla had gone. He didn't want to have to tell them that it was nothing but a scam and that he was an idiot. Most of all, he didn't want to see the satisfaction on Jeff's face when he knew he was right again.

He made his way up the steps and opened the door, hearing his brother talking with Beth in the kitchen. The talking ceased when the door creaked and Matt cursed silently. "Matt?" Beth called. "Is that you?"

_I'd hope so,_ Matt thought with a sigh. _Either that or someone would be breaking into my house._

Jeff and Beth appeared in the hallway, seeing the worn down expression Matt carried along with his hunched shoulders. They didn't say a word as he climbed the stairs, even ignoring Lucas's constant yips for attention. It didn't matter what they thought. It was over. Matt Hardy had failed again.

-

Ayla glared at the remaining donuts on her right. They were taunting her from their box, almost to say, 'are you an idiot?' Of course she was. And then again, she wasn't. Even if she wanted to go on a second date with Matt, she lived in California. Something told her two dates wouldn't end there and then a problem would arise. It was just the detail that she couldn't convince herself what she did was right that was the problem.

With an angered move, she tossed the donuts into the garbage and walked out of her hotel, grabbing the rental keys as she did so. Minutes later, she was cruising down toward the supermarket, prepared to get a good carton of ice cream to allow her to forget. Ice cream helped everything after all.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking, or maybe Ayla was just beginning to regret her decision, but she was kind of hoping that Matt would be there, down the ice cream aisle, his hand grabbing for the last carton of Rocky Road ice cream. But he wasn't. Instead, she took one of the plentiful containers of Rocky Road and headed for the register. After all, what would the chances be of her seeing him in the same place again? Slim to none and she knew that.

Ayla was only feet away from the same cashier as the night before when she did see another familiar face. The person was staring at her with curiosity, their bright green eyes wide as saucers. Shannon Moore. One of Matt's closest friends. Had Matt told him what she had done? She couldn't take the chance.

Forgetting the ice cream all together, she dropped it on a display and ran from the door, ignoring the irritated yell from the cashier who would have to return it to the aisle it came from. It was only seconds later when she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Then, a strong arm grasped her swinging wrist.

"Let go of me!" she shrieked, squirming from the grasp.

She was face to face with Shannon now. He didn't seem angry, but the expression that graced his boy-like face wasn't all that happy either. "You're the girl Matt was with tonight," he said as a statement, not a question.

She contemplated saying no, but it was pretty obvious that she was. Running out of there like that made it so. "Yes."

"I just got a call from Matt's brother. He says that Matt came home looking like a wounded puppy or some shit. What the fuck happened tonight?"

Ayla struggled against his grasp, but found it was no use. Even though Shannon wasn't as large as most wrestlers, he was still much bigger than her and also much stronger. "Let go of me. It's none of your business!"

"Oh, it is. When you cross a Core member, you get all of them."

Ayla continued to fight her way away from him. As much as she wanted to see Matt again and at least apologize, Shannon wasn't making it easy for her. All she wanted to do now was go back to her hotel and not come out until her flight home next week. "Let go of me," she snapped again, "you're hurting me."

Shannon loosened his grip just a smidge. "What's the problem? Is he not good enough for you? You California girls are all the same. Nothing but high maintenance, prissy rich girls." If only he knew how wrong he was.

Ayla blinked back tears. He didn't even know her and he was judging her. And even though it shouldn't have bothered her, it did. "Just let me go."

Shannon shoved her away from him, shaking his head. "Don't bother coming crawling back when you realize your mistake. It'll be too late by then."

-

Two days had passed and Matt hadn't stopped thinking about Ayla Sarver. Fate, the one thing he thought was on his side, had wronged him. He believed that somehow, meeting her in the supermarket had been an omen of some kind. An omen of things good to come. But maybe it was just the opposite. His brother and friends were trying to convince him to forget her, that she wasn't worth his time, but they didn't understand. If she hadn't been, why couldn't he get rid of her? Wouldn't something that meant nothing leave his head easily? He didn't know.

"I need to find her," Matt said to no one in particular. "If I show up at her hotel, she'll probably just slam the door in my face." Then, he shrugged. It was worth a shot. So, instead, he got up and grabbed his keys. Matt wasn't done with Ayla just yet.

By the time he got there, it was about five in the evening. Matt wasn't sure if Ayla was there or not, but he wasn't going home until he found her. He'd explain. Maybe if he did, she'd see. A second chance was needed. There had to be more to this. He needed to believe that.

Without going to the information desk, he remembered the number to Ayla's hotel room, seeing the hotel room card when she had gotten into his car that night. It was a nerve-racking few minutes as he climbed the stairs (elevator was out of service, of course) and got to her floor.

Funny enough, her door was the first one to his right. Time seemed to slow as he stood in front of it, staring at the brass lettering in front of him. It was time. Matt couldn't stand there forever. So he walked forward, and knocked. Maybe she wasn't home. Maybe she knew it was him and didn't want to answer. These were just some of the explanations he was beginning to tell himself as the door opened, exposing Ayla in a pair of white capris and purple tank top.

"Can we talk?" Matt asked softly.

Ayla seemed undecided, but Matt had caught the look of hope in her eyes when she first set sight on Matt. And that was all he needed to see. As long as that was there, it was still alive for him. Finally, she nodded, opening the door fully. "Sure."

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**Matt is just too headstrong to not go back after her, hahaha. :) READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	7. Weak and Strong

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: And once again, updating. :) Thanks for the reviews; they all put VERY big smiles on my face. And to me, that's the best feeling for when you're writing. :) Anyway, not much to say. I will say that someone may enjoy this chapter a little more than others, but I dunno. ;D Getting to some good stuff. Enjoy!

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It didn't surprise Matt that Ayla's hotel room was pretty clean, nearly spotless. Her bags were in the corner, everything folded neatly. The sheets on the bed were made correctly and in perfect order. Seeing Matt staring at her room, she smiled a little. "I didn't have much to do today."

"I figured you were the kind of neat person anyway."

She shrugged. "I guess I am…" The awkwardness was coming, both could feel it. Matt seemed uneasy with what he wanted to say and Ayla knew better than trying to speak. She'd say something and screw it up somehow. She liked Matt, she did. The fear that she possessed though, it outweighed that. It was plain paranoia, truthfully.

"Okay, look. This is about last night." Matt turned to face her, his face suddenly determined. Those eyes were locked dead on her again, the feeling that made her instantly look toward the ground. Why did men always have to do that? Did it make them feel superior? "When I met you… I felt something. Like it was fate or something. I can't let this go. I like you. I don't want it to end here."

Ayla sat down on the hotel bed, still staring at her feet. The carpet was brown. A dull, boring brown. Maybe if she stared at it long enough, it'd ship her out of here. She didn't know what to say to Matt. She couldn't say the things he wanted to hear. And she didn't want to hurt him. As a fan it allowed her to know that he didn't have the best luck in relationships. Ayla didn't want to become another reason he couldn't find love. But wasn't she anyway?

"Ayla, please…"

"Matt, I can't say anything you'd want to hear."

"Just say that you'll come with me on a second date."

Ayla sighed. "And after a second date, you'll want a third, then a fourth. I can't give you that."

"Can't or won't?"

A remorseful smile fell onto her face. "A little of both."

"What's wrong with me?"

She shook her head quickly. "Nothing at all," she murmured. "Trust me there. It's not you, it's me."

"Can we not get cliché here?" Matt sat down next to her, trying to gently push her head up to look him in the eyes. "Here's one opinion. You won't look me in the eyes because you fear you'll say yes to anything if you do. You don't like the feeling of people staring at you because it makes them seem powerful and more powerful than you. But you're weak, so anyone's stare makes you uncomfortable. You'd think someone who believes they're weak would cave easily."

It was chilling how right he was. But Ayla wasn't just weak. She was broken in many ways. There were ways of being weak and strong at the same time. It was a very terrible combination. "You're right."

"I'm not here to prove I'm more powerful than you, Ayla. I just want to know you. Is that so hard to ask? I'm not a bad guy. I just want a second chance."

She looked him in the eye for a split second. "You don't know how badly I want to say yes right now. But I can't. It's for my own good here. I need to take care of me. Okay?"

"I could take care of you."

He just didn't give up. "Matt, please."

"I saw the look in your eyes, Ayla… when you opened that door. You were glad to see me. Weren't you?"

"It's complicated."

"Not really. At least, it isn't if you look at the whole picture."

Matt just didn't know. She wasn't worth the fight. Why couldn't he get that? "My picture is missing several pieces."

There was a silence for a moment and Ayla thought for a split second that maybe Matt had finally given up on her, like she wanted. Then, suddenly, there were two arms around her, pulling her up and Matt was leaning down at a rapid speed. His lips met hers with such intensity she nearly lost her footing. His lips were sweet like sugar and soft, like she had always imagined. But she never thought something like this would happen. The scariest part was she found that she couldn't struggle. It was as if her lips had detached from her head which was telling her to stop it. The kiss felt great. Her heart thumped wildly underneath her, telling her to let go. She couldn't. She couldn't… she just couldn't.

The passionate embrace was over and Ayla stumbled backwards away from Matt. He seemed pleased and disappointed at the same time. But most of all, hungry for more. His eyes had turned lustful as they traced her body for more. She knew if she didn't speak soon, instincts would fully take over for Matt.

"Matt," she spoke softly. "Stop."

He looked at her, eyes hurting. "Why can't you just give in?"

"Why don't you just give up?"

"Because I want you."

"You shouldn't," she whispered in a pleading tone.

"But I do." Matt stood in front of her, looking down with the same pleading in his eyes.

"Why won't you give in?"

"Why am I worth this fight?"

"You're impossible."

Ayla sighed. "Just go."

"You say nothing is wrong with me but then you turn me down. Ayla, you returned that kiss. So you want it too."

"I know."

Matt pushed his lips together. He'd tried everything to break this girl's guard. Nothing happened to work. What was so wrong with her that she had a wall up so high? Why couldn't she let him in? All he wanted was a chance. A chance to sweep her off her feet and show her he did care about her and if given the chance, her heart would be taken care of the way any girl's should be. Maybe he was just crazy though. He could hear some of his friends now, "no girl is worth this." "There are plenty of fish in the sea." But fate meant something to Matt. This wasn't over.

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**I love the banter in this chapter. And of course, the kiss... ;D READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	8. That's a promise

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Ello peeps! :) Thank you for the reviews. I really like parts of this chapter... and um, not much to say. Enjoy!

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"I'm not leaving." Matt sat down on her bed, crossing his feet together. A smile tried to push it's way onto his features as she made a face. "I'll stay here all day and night if I have to. I won't leave you alone and I'll bug you until you cave."

Ayla stood, intersecting her arms. She walked over to her window and tried to ignore the man sitting on her bed. Her heart thumped wildly – it had been since the kiss. Ayla could hear Abby yelling from across the country, saying things like "are you an idiot?" Maybe so. She had to get Matt out of there though. Because saying no would only last so long. It might not be too much longer before instinct took over… even worse, if Matt went for another kiss.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Matt smiled wryly. "I'm there already."

She groaned, flopping onto the bed as far away from him as she could. Even with her eyes glued shut; she could feel his heavy gaze on her. Something told her if she opened her eyes, he'd be staring at her body. She caught that several times already. Ayla didn't consider herself ugly by any means, but she never thought of herself as someone to grace the cover of a magazine as a model, either.

Silence ticked away the time. She considered sitting in her hotel bathroom until he got so bored he actually left, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. Matt was stubborn. Any Hardy fan knew that. He didn't give up. He wouldn't give up. So how was she supposed to get him out of there?

One eye poked open. And she was, Matt was staring at her. But not at her body; at her face. He was smiling. It wasn't anything overly showy, but it was a dim, pleased smile, one that alerted her of something sappy. Why did he have to be attracted to her? After all, men were all the same… weren't they? It wasn't like she was going to forget how he had scoped her out the moment they met, one hand on the donuts, the other by his side as those eyes roamed her. Men had one thing on mind: sex. Just sex. She wasn't about to be some toy doll for him.

Then, an idea hit her. She shot up like a rocket, quickly planning her scheme. Slowly, she looked back over at Matt. He was watching her, facial expression unreadable. But definitely watching her. For once, she hoped she was a good liar. "Fine," she gushed loudly, "you win. Come down to the lobby with me and we'll talk."

Matt grinned childishly. "Yes! Okay. That'll work."

They got up at the same time, both gazes locked on each other. Ayla was carefully watching each movement he made, making sure that she would be the second person out the door. By the time it opened, everything was set in her mind. She walked out a few feet to follow Matt, and when she thought he wasn't looking, she flipped back around and hoped she'd make it back into her hotel room, door locked before he even noticed.

But of course, she had to trip, biding Matt two seconds. Two second which allowed him to notice what she was doing. Ayla sprang for the door, her eyes squeezed shut, praying she'd still make it. She was at the door, hand gripping the handle when his arms wrapped around her other arm, trying to pull her back. Desperately, Ayla tried to snag the chair inside of the hotel room to break his grip. Unfortunately, Matt was too consumed with trying to keep her out of the room to notice her hand there and attempted to slam the door so he'd have more time. It was only when the blonde woman let out a piercing yelp in pain when he knew something had gone wrong.

Ayla slowed to the floor after Matt's grip fell. She quickly gripped her wrist where bruises were already becoming apparent.

"Oh my God, Ayla," Matt breathed out, feeling horrible. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see your arm, I—"

She didn't answer. Instead, she sat cradling her arm, the swollen skin making it look worse. Though, both could already tell it was broken. "Leave," she finally said in a deadly low and curt voice.

"Let me take you to the emergency room. Please."

"Leave." Tears threatened her eyes but she wasn't going to give Matt the benefit of seeing her cry. No, that wouldn't be happening. She didn't need another reason for a man to see themselves more powerful than her. No, she would be strong.

"Ayla, please, let me do some—"

"LEAVE!" her shrieky shout nearly sent him out of his skin and on intuition, he found himself backtracking quickly. Backtracking away from a mistake not fixed. Backtracking away from his fate.

The young woman sat on the floor for a while, staring at her damaged arm. Tears came from her eyes not only from the pain and swelling, but from what had happened. He had a strong grip on her. It brought memories back of a night similar to the one she had just experienced. Her eyes snapped shut quickly and she tried to clear her head. Her arm was clearly in the need of medical attention, but she wasn't sure if she was okay enough to drive. The small fight had shaken her up and Ayla didn't trust herself to stand.

It took several more minutes for her to pull her body weight up, swaying from a small dizzy spell. She considered the fact that Matt might not have even left and was waiting for her downstairs. Another glance at her arm told her it didn't matter. She needed to get to the hospital for care.

With a sniffle, she entered her hotel room, carefully closing the door behind her. From there, she freshened up so she looked presentable, which took considerably more time than normal as she was only working with one good arm. But the time she got into the lobby, it was nearly seven p.m. The good news was Matt wasn't in sight. Still, she rapidly exited the building to her rental car, closing herself in, making sure the doors were locked. Fear was still planted in her. What if Matt was waiting to strike again?

The hospital was slow for the evening, to Ayla's luck. She only had to wait fifteen minutes to get looked at, the doctor confirming that she had indeed broken something, not her arm, but her wrist. "What happened?" the doctor asked, her eyes widening.

Ayla smiled, hoping she didn't look too unbelievable. "My hotel room door is kind of weird. It closes on its own and I was saying goodbye to a friend and it got caught. I tell you, it was one of the most painful experiences of my life." She wasn't exactly lying. Matt considered Ayla a friend and she was "saying goodbye" to him, just not the way he wanted.

"Ouch," the doctor muttered. "Maybe they should get that fixed."

"Probably," Ayla said easily. "I'll have to talk to someone tonight. At least if it's not fixed by the time I leave, the next person won't have the same problem." It surprised her how good she was getting with lying about this. The doctor believed her and that was all that mattered.

The clock read eight-fifteen when Ayla was finally in her cast and ready to go home. Her doctor had made it so she could still use her fingers, so driving home wouldn't be a problem. And much to her relief, unlike the worry that plagued her while waiting, Matt had no shown up at the hospital.

She got to her car, yawning. Maybe she was finally rid of Matt Hardy. Well, she believed that until she saw a stray piece of paper underneath the car windshield wiper. The note was in handwriting she recognized almost immediately and her heart dropped. She wasn't free of Matt after all.

_Ayla, I followed you to the hospital. I decided not to bother you because I know you're probably really upset with me. You don't know how sorry I am about what happened. Please know that I did not intentionally slam the door on your arm and I hope that everything works out with that. Please don't be too angry. I'll make this up to you. It's obvious now I need to make up more than before, but I promise you, I will. I'm not the enemy and I just want you to know that. I'm simply a guy that is merely in love with a beautiful girl who won't give him the time of day. Hope you understand,_

_Matt._

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**Matt just doesn't learn. ;D READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	9. Free as a butterfly

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Hey guys. :) Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. :) I love this chapter as well, though I will give one hint before you read: someone gets a little devious in it and it may not be who you expect. ;D Enjoy!

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"You _what_?" Jeff Hardy had to ask in disbelief as Matt told him the events that had occurred since he had last spoken with his brother. They were seated around the table in the kitchen, sharing a couple beers. "Are you out of your mind, Matt? You sound like a fucking stalker."

"I like her, man. I really like her." Matt intertwined his fingers, closing his eyes as he envisioned her face with a smile on it. Not the fear he had seen when the door had enclosed on her small arm. Not the way she looked at him like he was a monster who was the enemy. The beautiful, although terrifyingly shy girl he was beginning to become obsessed with.

Jeff rubbed his temple. "Are you out of your mind? What if this girl talks to the media or the wrestling blogs? They'll be all over this in no time. Look, man, you're my brother and I love you but this girl is not worth your career over. If she was interested in sharing a relationship with you, you wouldn't have to fight so much with her to get it. She's not interested and never will be. Give her up."

"You don't understand! She's so sheltered in her ways, Jeff. She won't give me the time of day because she's afraid to. Every time I get close and she looses her grip on her heart, something stops her. I don't know what it is. You should have seen the kiss we shared. It was like… magic or something. Fuck, I don't know. I can't give her up. I need this woman. She didn't show up in my life just to fuck with my feelings. I know it."

Matt's younger brother stared at him for a long moment. What did this girl have on him? Why was he so intent on making her his? She seemed so screwed up in the love department. His brother was bound to get unmistakably hurt in this. And if he couldn't see that now, what was going to happen when the truth came and he realized that she was nothing more than a lusting gleam in his eye? What would his brother be when this was all over? He couldn't possibly take another period of heartache like Amy had left all those years ago. There had to be some way to make him see that he needed to stop this. He was twisting his brain in such a way that he was becoming unknowing to his actions. So, he came up with a plan. If his brother was twisting his thoughts the way Jeff suspected, he might just go along with it.

"Okay, I think I got something here. By sending her that note, you probably scared her more. She probably thinks she's cornered now, Matt. Why don't you go to her hotel and leave a note at the front desk saying that you're sorry and you'll leave her alone. You go on the road in a couple of days and by the time you come back; she'll be itching to see you again."

"If I tell her to leave me alone, she'll leave me alone." That was Jeff's point, but he wasn't going to let Matt know that.

"_No_, no. It won't do that. She's going to realize that she's made a mistake and come back to you and want to make things right. It's like reverse logic or whatever that shit is called. You get it?" Jeff hoped that his lie would not bleed through to Matt's brain. It was the only way to get his brother back on track. Matt couldn't go on like this.

Matt smiled at Jeff, his eyes twinkling. "You're right! Oh, you're so right! Thanks Jeff. I'll do that now. In fact, let me go get a piece of paper and a pen. Thanks bro, I owe you one."

The younger Hardy brother watched as his brother went up the stairs, feeling terrible. He didn't know what was worse: the fact that his brother was so in love with this girl that he hadn't picked up on the lie, or the fact that he had and now Jeff had to live with knowing he was the ending to whatever sick, twisted relationship Matt thought he had with the girl. Either way, thinking about it made him feel like crap.

-

"Abby, please, calm down. I know it didn't go the way you wanted it to. But things always don't. Matt and I aren't just going to work out." Ayla bit down on her tongue, hoping her words sounded right. She was lying to her best friend, unmistakably lying but she couldn't tell her friend the truth. If she knew the details, she'd be angry – at Ayla, not Matt. Because Abby knew the truth behind why Ayla was running. "What? Why would I lie to you? Look, we went on the date and it just didn't work out. We didn't click."

On the other line, Abby sighed angrily. "What do you mean 'you didn't work out'? I've gone over this in my head a million times. I know how your personalities would work. You guys had to work out! You had to."

"We didn't," Ayla replied flatly, exiting the hotel elevator. She was planning to get a quick lunch out in Vass and then retreat back to her room in time to catch one of her all time favorite movies on the television: Walk The Line. She was so eagerly pleased to see it on the line-up about two hours ago that she had canceled the plans to go the beach and decided she needed to be home to unwind and relax. If anything, that was what she needed most now.

And with what she was planning, it wouldn't give Matt a chance to find her anywhere. If he showed up at the hotel, she didn't have to answer her door. By staying home, she was safe. And also by staying home, her wrist got a little rest. This was what she truly needed. There was about a week left in her vacation before she packed up and headed back to sunny California and she wanted to enjoy it. With a throbbing wrist, that really couldn't happen.

"I can't believe you didn't," Abby whined. She could hear the girl stomp her foot as well. "I'm going to write a story about where you do, okay? In fact, I'm going to write it now. Matt and you are destined by the stars already, got it?" The phone clicked off before she could even reply. Her friend's idea of writing a story about her and Matt sounded fine. In fact, it would maybe be better than what she was dealing with now. Abby would probably send it to her that night. At least she was in for a smile.

Even though Abby had already hung up, she replied quietly, "Bye Abby." And just as she went to exit the hotel lobby, a man called out her name, asking if she was Ayla Sarver. "Yes," Ayla replied uncertainly. "I am."

The older man behind the counter smiled. "This was left for you early this morning."

"Thanks." Ayla took the folded paper from him and began to walk toward the door. Something left for her? That only meant one thing: Matt. What did he have to tell her this time? Was she even safe to leave the hotel? He was probably waiting right outside as she walked. But when she read the exact opposite and saw that the older Hardy had finally given up on his quest of her, her heart couldn't help but sink just a bit. It had been nice to be chased by a man for the first time in a while. Still, she brushed that away. She was finally free of the man. She could get on with her life now. And that started today.

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**So Jeff tricked Matt into getting Ayla out of his life. Do you think that will work? And Ayla too. What will happen? READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	10. Oh Shit!

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Hey peeps. Sorry this chapter is so short, but it's something. Not too much to say, other than thank you for the reviews. Enjoy!

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Ayla took off into the city of Vass, looking for a cheap, though good place to have lunch. She wanted to get it over with. Even though Matt said he'd leave her alone, she couldn't help the feeling that she wasn't. After several days with him on her back, it felt odd to be alone without him nagging her for something. She was also relieved though too. Ayla didn't want to hurt Matt. Truly, that wasn't her intention. Now he could get on with his life and she could get on with hers.

At least, that was what she was telling herself.

Ever since she had left the hotel, she left as if she should go looking for him and apologize. For what, she wasn't sure. He was the one who constantly harassed her and injured her. He was also the one who didn't want to take no for an answer. But the background he possessed and the feelings she knew he had still tried to break their way into her brain. She knew how hard Matt had ached for a girlfriend, someone he could truly love. All he wanted was for her to give him a chance. She wanted to give him a chance, too, well, part of her did. The other part was still trying to build a barrier high as the sky would allow. The guilt worked harder though. What was she doing? Oh man, if Abby knew the truth. Her loudmouth friend would be high-stepping it down to North Carolina, mouth in tow.

She giggled. "Only Abby," she muttered.

Just then, she saw a familiar face: Jeff Hardy. He had a hood on, but she'd recognize those tattoos on his arm anywhere. Her feet began to move in that direction and she found she couldn't stop herself. Her mind had become a battlefield. There was a section that was scolding her, telling her to move on and get over it. The other part was cheering this sudden interest and persuading her to track down the other Hardy. What was she doing though? What was she going to say to Jeff? She had no way of proving she was the girl Matt had taken interest to. Jeff could just think she was a crazy fan who was trying to get into Matt's world.

"Hey Jeff!" Ayla's eyes widened. Had she just said that out loud? She shook her head angrily and watched as recognition came across Jeff's face as he slowed and faced her.

"Autograph?" he asked in a tired tone.

She almost said yes and went along her merry way. But there was a force beyond that which stopped her from saying yes and leaving. "Actually, no," she instead said, a small smile on her face. "I just wanted you to relay a message to your brother for me."

Jeff shrugged. "Sure." A lot of fans did this. There were plenty a day that told him to say hello to his brother, or Shannon, or Shane. It was an everyday thing.

"Great," she breathed. "Can you tell him that Ayla Sarver says she's sorry for everything?"

Another pass of recognition laced Jeff's face. His eyes widened as he understood the woman Matt had been obsessed with stood before him. He understood Matt's longing for her now. Though his heart belonged to Beth, it was still obvious Ayla was a beautiful woman.

"And that she'd like a second chance if that was okay."

Jeff cursed a storm up in his head. This couldn't be happening! The plan he had thought up was blowing up in his face. The girl had come back to Matt anyway! It wasn't supposed to work this way. Matt would move on. Ayla was ruining his scheme. But that didn't mean he had to relay her message. "Sure," Jeff lied. "I'll do that."

"Thanks." It hurt him more seeing how happy she got at this, although her face dimmed considerably seconds later, as if she wondered why she was so happy. Jeff brushed it off and smiled back at her for a moment, before taking a grand exit in front of her.

He thought about what he had done the entire way home, several times deciding he would indeed tell Matt what Ayla had said. Also, several times, he went back against it and decided not to. It was obvious, Ayla Sarver was a heartbreaker. He couldn't let his brother get hurt again. He hadn't expected the plan he had told Matt to actually work. Ayla was supposed to be relieved when Matt sent the note, not full of remorse. Why did fate always have to work against him?

And how was he supposed to keep his mouth shut around Matt until he was sure Ayla was out of North Carolina for good?

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**BACKFIRE! Haha. Um, yeah. READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	11. Love happens without reason

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Hello. :D I like this chapter. It's a bit confusing toward the end, but I think most will figure it out... what it is, after all. Okay, that made no sense. Maybe I should just shut up? Yeah, good. Thank you for the reviewwwws. :) Enjoy! :)

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Another few days passed without any contact between Ayla and Matt. Ayla brushed it off as he was a busy man with a demanding job. She was partly right – Matt had been getting ready to go to the Smackdown tapings with his brother on Tuesday, but he'd be home on Wednesday still. He also had no idea that Ayla wanted to apologize since Jeff was so intent on Matt never hurting again.

"You know, Man, I can't wait to get home and see what Ayla has to say. Call me crazy, but I really think things may just work out this time. She's great, Jeff. I want you to meet her."

Jeff cursed as he put on his ring gear on and tried to pretend he hadn't heard the question. What Matt didn't know was that he had already met Ayla.

"Jeff…?"

"Huh?"

"I was talking to ya, Bro."

"Oh. What?" Jeff lied, turning back around. He didn't understand it. Usually he was good at keeping secrets but every time he was around Matt he would almost blurt out the lie he was keeping in. Sometimes, he began to think maybe his older brother was right: maybe it was fate. How else would these two still be in each other's lives? Ayla had seemed eager to make up for the pain she caused. And it was obvious that Matt was love drunk over her.

"I want you to meet Ayla when we get back to NC. She's really great."

"She treats you like crap," Jeff mumbled. "How is she great?"

Matt rolled his eyes, taping his wrists. "She puts up these barriers for whatever reason but when I've cracked them on several occasions, there is this great girl behind them. When she laughs and when she lets loose per se she's a lot of fun. It's a shame she's so intent on everyone staying out. She's wonderful."

Guilt stabbed at Jeff. Matt really couldn't get this girl out of his head, he realized. He figured after a few days, the lusting would dim down a bit. But maybe he figured it would go down because it was lust… but what if it wasn't? What if Matt was really falling for this girl? He thought back to when he met Beth. It was the same feeling. Of course, Beth had been an open and charming girl who he'd quickly fallen for, also like Beth had fallen for him. But Ayla wasn't open. Still, somehow, Matt was sharing the same feelings that he'd felt so many years ago. He hadn't heard him talk like that since he had met Amy for the first time. Actually, he was daring to say that he was more excited over Ayla than Amy.

"Hey, Matt?"

"Yeah, Man?"

"We need to talk." Jeff sat down on the bench and came to a decision. If his brother was really that aimed on getting Ayla to be his, he couldn't hold out any longer. In the long run, it'd just hurt both of them. He didn't want to be responsible for curving fate in any way.

"About what?" Matt sat next to Jeff. "Smackdown starts soon."

"It won't take long," Jeff promised. "It's important though. About Ayla, actually."

Jeff knew as soon as he saw Matt's eyes light up at the mention of her name that he was doing the right thing. Why hadn't he seen this before?

"Ayla? What about her?"

Soon, he had explained everything that he'd kept in for the past few days and apologized several times. Jeff was careful to watch Matt's expression throughout the entire ordeal and he saw his brother was only slightly hurt, but more so expressionless. Whatever that meant, he wasn't sure. But it was probably a good thing that Matt didn't have a look of rage in his eyes. He didn't need to be getting slammed around before a match anyway.

"I don't understand," Matt finally spoke when silence overtook their locker room. "I'm a big boy, Bro. I can take care of myself. I'm not going to get hurt."

"Have you not seen yourself the past week or so? You're like a little puppy dog. You haven't heard anything anyone has said. And we're all running around making sure we don't end up with a mess on our hands."

Matt placed a hand on Jeff's shoulder. "Do you remember what Mom told us as kids?"

"She told us a lot of stuff."

That was true. Their mother was full of advice and motherly things that every kid should have. "About love," Matt continued. "She used to say something to us all the time. I asked once and since then, she had been saying it."

"I don't remember, no."

Matt smiled. "Love happens without reason," he whispered. "It doesn't have a place to start. It just happens. And sometimes, you have to endure a lot of pain to get to the nice parts. Call me crazy, but I think I can get to this girl. She likes me too, I can feel it. She's hurt in a lot of ways, but she's not a heartless person. I like her a lot and I'm not giving up without a fight. And obviously she is interested or she wouldn't have come up to you."

Truthfully, Jeff wasn't still sure if he could understand all of what was going on in Matt's head. He wasn't going to question it though anymore. His brother was an adult and could handle himself. Maybe it was because his love with Beth had come so easily that he didn't understand. But if Matt wanted to give Ayla another chance, he decided he would respect that.

"I'm sorry, Matt."

Matt shook his head, standing up and staring into the mirror with a small, but happy smile on his face. "Don't be. I mean, you were just looking out for me. Don't worry though. I know what I'm doing. This is fate, I'm sure of it."

-

Ayla was driving around a more country side of North Carolina, passing trees and pastures as she went. She was content with herself, waiting for Matt to return from his tapings, knowing when he did; she'd have a chance to redeem herself. At times, she wasn't sure if she could go through with it, but after careful thought, she'd compared it to her move to California. Ever since she had been offered the job at Love's Hope, there was several times she'd thought she couldn't do it and decided to stay home. But it was the thrill of a whole new life and adventure that had finally gotten her to book her flight across the country.

Some good things had come from it. She made a decent wage now and she had fun at her job. She didn't feel like she was going to work in the morning. And she had a great best friend who shared her love in wrestling and writing. Those were the good parts of California.

But there were parts that sometimes made her want to run back to her home state and never look back. It was those parts that also kept her away from taking Matt's offer up on several occasions. He didn't understand it. She wasn't even sure if she understood it anymore. But, she also had decided, if she let it control her life anymore, one of the most searched for things in life would go by her again: love. Ayla couldn't let that happen. This time around, she wasn't going to fall. For once, she was going to stick her head up high in the air and try for something better than what she had. Determination was her new best friend.

That Tuesday night, she found herself scrolling through the channels, passing by ECW and staring blankly at the screen. Truthfully, she was exhausted but her mind was keeping her up. It was running in overtime. All she wanted to do was see Matt and try to make things right.

_Crash!_ _The sound shattered around her as she tried to ignore it, covering her ears with her hands, trembling as she hid in the small pantry that was rarely used in the apartment. Biting down on her lip, she listened to the muffled, angered sounds of someone's voice and the stomping footsteps. "Ayla! Where are you?"_

She shot up, her heart racing. The flashback had been so vivid, she was actually trembling. Where it had come from, she wasn't sure. The memory had barely come to mind in months, except for a few nights ago… that night.

_"Oh Ayla," a person said. "You look beautiful tonight. You're going to love where we're going. I promise you." She giggled as the person smiled at her. "You're beautiful, Ayla. Gorgeous."_

Ayla clamped her eyes closed. What was going on?

_Cries ricocheted all around her. Someone was holding her hand to her right, but she didn't know who. The music played softly, the agony in the melody. "It's such a shame, such a shame…"_

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**Jeffie isn't evil, peeps. See? And ooh, whatwhatwhat? READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	12. One spark starts a fire

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Four reviews? Wow, thanks! :D I'm happy. And here comes the truth in this chapter: you find out why Ayla is so reserved. This story is winding down. Maybe about three or two chapters left. Enjoy!

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Ayla found herself staring into the mirror wondering what had happened. How could something so horrible come back to haunt her like that? It'd been almost a year since she'd even thought about it. Even longer since it actually happened. She swallowed, splashing some cold water into her face. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Each time he was smiling at her, those twinkling eyes and teasing smile. She took a deep breath. The man had been gone from her memory for a long time. Truthfully, she preferred it that way.

So… why had he appeared now? What brought it on? Of course, she had a similar flashback when Matt had accidentally broken her wrist but … again? Nothing traumatic happened this time. Then, it clicked. She felt stupid now. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of that?

The southern charm.

Calling her beautiful.

The way he looked at her.

Everything started out the same.

She knew exactly why she didn't want to speak with Matt and why she said it'd hurt her. Because even when she wasn't even directly thinking about it, it haunted her. Every man was compared to him. Each smile, each strand of hair… how had she become this? A sob choked from her lips. With the realization, she noticed in full affect of what she was doing to Matt.

Quickly, she ran to the phone, barely glancing at the time. Abby would be up.

"Hello?" a quiet voice answered. "Ayla?"

"Hi," Ayla replied timidly.

"Is there a reason you're calling me at nearly two in the morning? Because honestly… for once, I was going to be in bed." Her friend was trying to sound angry, but was failing.

"I… I noticed something tonight."

Finally, something clicked with Abby and she sat up across the country. "Ayla… what's the matter? I don't like your tone of voice." It was chilling enough how her friend could go from so completely excited to dark in tone in such a small amount of time.

"Look, I haven't been completely honest here. Matt and I did click. A lot. Actually… he really, really likes me."

Abby squealed. "That's great! Then what's the problem!" Silence for a moment. "Wait… you lied to me then. So you didn't want it then… right? What's going on?"

Ayla shivered as she sat down on the bed and closed her eyes. His face filled it. Quickly, she explained what had really happened in detail, each moment nearly killing her. She'd almost done it again. Almost. When she was finished, she sighed. "I think I know why I did it."

"Really?" Abby pressed. "Why?"

"Connor," she whispered in such a low voice, Abby almost didn't hear it. "Connor."

On the other line, Abby almost dropped the phone. She hadn't heard Ayla mention that name in over a year. Hell, she was told she wasn't allowed to mention it. "Connor?" she repeated. "Ayla… you haven't mentioned Connor in—"

"I know."

"Why?"

She sobbed again. "I don't know. Matt acted a lot like he did when we first met."

"So?"

"I don't know," she rebutted. "I just…"

"Are you okay, Ayla?"

She looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn't really. There were tears streaming down her face and her body was ice cold. It had been a long time since she had felt this weak, so vulnerable to the past. Nearly a year and a half ago. She should be over it. Hell, she should be happy. And when she finally broke down that tall, tall wall she saw that was really there. A girl who was so broken by the past and who had never healed so the wound was even worse in the present. It felt like someone had slicked salt across a new scratch… but it wasn't a scratch… it was more than that.

"Ayla?"

"I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" Abby pressed. "It's been a while."

"I'm fine. I just need time now. I finally realized why I am so afraid to fall in love."

_She was staring at herself in the mirror, staring at her sore arm. There were finger marks in several spots, deep bruises forming. He had never been violent with her before. They'd had their share of battles in the past, but he'd never been violent – it was always verbal._

_He'd left an hour ago, screaming profanities at her. She'd accused him of something. Told him he needed help or he was going to kill himself. He grabbed her by the wrist and told her to mind her own business. Gripped her so tight she could still feel the pressure on her wrist._

_Just then, the front door jingled. She ran toward the pantry and locked the door, hiding beneath a blanket. There were footsteps, heavy ones. He was home._

_Crash!_ _The sound shattered around her as she tried to ignore it, covering her ears with her hands, trembling as she hid in the small pantry that was rarely used in the apartment. Biting down on her lip, she listened to the muffled, angered sounds of someone's voice and the stomping footsteps. "Ayla! Where are you?"_

_She choked back a sob. He was drunk… or was he high? She didn't even notice. Honestly, she didn't even know when he became addicted to drugs. Maybe he was all along. Maybe it was because he showered her in love and everything she ever wanted she didn't bother to notice._

_Crash! Again. Complete and utter silence filled the apartment. Her ears perked once more, listening for him, waiting for him to find her there and threaten her again. But it was silent. What was the last crash? Had he hurt himself? As angry as she was at him right then, she didn't want him hurt._

_Slowly, she emerged from beneath the blanket and opened the door just a crack. What she saw nearly made her scream. He was sprawled out on the floor, eyes rolled back in his head. "Connor!" she shouted, jogging forward. Her fingers laced his face, trying to wake him up. But he was deathly still._

_The police ruled it a suicide in the long run, but not after a long and painful search on her. As if she'd kill him. She tried to save him. This was what she feared. A drug overdose. But it wasn't a suicide. She knew he had no idea what danger he was causing himself. The way he drank and the way he took drugs – all kinds – like they were water._

_Cries ricocheted all around her. Someone was holding her hand to her right, but she didn't know who. The music played softly, the agony in the melody. "It's such a shame, such a shame…" His best friend was saying down the line. His brother was crying. Abby was on her left, tears in her eyes. The girl had looked up to him. He was funny, nice, and cute. There had always been a joke that one day, Abby would steal him from her._

_He treated her like a Princess. He was the first guy to call her beautiful in a while. During her teen years, she'd been awkward. When she got into college, she blossomed into a flower. And when she came to __California__, she met him. He was wonderful. He took her on many dates, bought her many things, but that wasn't why she found herself falling in love. Connor was a good guy. His demons took his life. And with that life, he took Ayla's ability to trust another guy the way she had complete trust in him._

"Ayla?"

"Sorry, Abby. I was just thinking about him. I miss him so much. He… I loved him. He was the first guy I ever loved, you know?" She felt silent, thinking about their first kiss under the California beach boardwalk. The way he had respected her beliefs and allowed her to take the lead. Never rude. It was only the end that was bad. How could she really know if another guy would do something like that to her? It was twisting her mind. Forget thinking rationally; Connor had taken that too.

"You'll be okay," Abby whispered. "Just talk to Matt."

"How do I know if this isn't going to …?"

"What?"

"I don't know," Ayla whispered back. "The more I think about it, the more I fall for him. I don't want to fall. I can't stop myself from hitting the bottom if someone doesn't catch me."

"Ayla…"

"I have to go," Ayla mumbled. "I'll call you soon, okay? Bye Abby."

"Ayla—"

_Click._

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**There will be more about Connor in the next chapter. Honestly, I was a bit vague to me. READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	13. Promises

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: Eeep! Thank you for the reviews. This, sadly, is the second to last chapter. The last chapter will be an epilogue of some sorts; it'll take place in the future. :) Not too much to say. But I hope someone enjoys this very much. HECK! I hope everyone enjoys this adorable chapter! ;D ... yes, enjoy! :)

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The next morning, Ayla awoke in the clothes she had fallen asleep in. Her body was stiff, considering she had slept in an upright position with tears staining her face. It wasn't like she slept well – she had tossed and turned the entire night, images from the past heavy on her mind, mixed in with a little of the present. Connor's face would turn to Matt's and she'd see the angered expression on his face as he tried to stop her from going back into her hotel room. But Connor wasn't like Matt at all toward the end. He got bitter, angry; everyday was a fight. The smile and the love he'd shown her were long gone. Matt still cared about her when he broke her wrist. Still, both of their faces merged on occasion.

Ayla believed she fell for Connor for one reason at first. Although he was a local California resident, he had treated her like all the men in the southern. It was the southern gentleman charm that really got her. He opened doors and had stories that reminded her of home. When he had asked her out for the first time, she remembered being so happy.

"Why me?" she remembered asking Abby on the phone that night. "He's such a great guy and he picked _me_." It never seemed right to her. She never felt ugly, but Connor could have anyone. But he'd wanted her. If only she knew what the future would hold. Those friends he began to make. Being gone for several hours without any answers to his whereabouts. Coming home at late hours with bloodshot eyes and "not in the mood to talk". He even began to sleep on the couch again.

For a while, she was sure they would be married. She'd have the American Dream of a family, a white picket fence, and a good husband to come home to at the end of the day. But he'd shattered that. He left her alone in the world again.

That was really when she began to throw herself into her job. After Connor's death, she began to work all the time, sure if she kept her mind off of him she would never think of him. And it worked for over a year. The name wasn't mentioned; she'd sold all his things in a yard sale, or given them to charity. It seemed her life was back on track. She had her friends; Ayla even dared to say she was happy, even if she truly wasn't.

It was Abby who made her go on vacation, insisting that she needed a break. The girl even booked her flight to North Carolina and made sure she got on the plane. Both knew Ayla would run if she got the chance. There was so much to do! So much work that could be done.

"What have I done?" she asked quietly as her new life slowly unraveled before her eyes. The past was sweeping its way in. There wasn't a way to control it. Everything she'd worked for was gone. The girl that had loved Connor and believed in herself was slinking back… but the girl was broken. She was missing pieces of the puzzle, her heart kept together by tape that could snap at any time.

Oddly enough, the vacation had been good for Ayla. She had been able to let go of work and have some fun. She'd seen some wonderful sights and eaten great food. Even Matt had been fun for a while. The truth was she had changed in the course of two weeks. How it happened, she wasn't sure.

Ayla pushed herself off the hotel bed and looked out the window. It was a beautiful day so far. The sun was shining and people bustled about below her. She decided to go back to that deli for an early breakfast. After all, tomorrow would be her last day here and she had enjoyed the food there. "Might as well get it one last time," she told herself. "Good southern food is hard to find."

-

An hour later, Ayla Sarver was walking down the street in Vass, close to the deli now. She smiled at some elderly man as she walked in, recognizing the person behind the counter from the last time. Quickly, she ordered an egg and bacon sandwich and a large glass of orange juice. The man told her it'd be ready in a moment and to take a seat. It was then she saw him sitting in the corner, watching her with that smile all the fans happened to love.

"Hi," he said quietly, his voice very careful. He motioned to the seat beside him. "This seat is open, if you want company."

Ayla froze for a moment. It was now or never. She had a chance at happiness. Her past was her past. Wasn't it called that for a reason? There was someone who could be her future if she let him be. Finally, she found herself nodding and took the seat beside of Matt. She didn't know what to say. He was staring at her, but not in a rude way. Almost pleased, actually. Like a proud little kid.

"You know, I don't know why but I had a feeling you'd be here."

She looked at him curiously. "Really?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah. I just got a weird urge to get here so I listened. I mean, Jeff told me the relayed message and then this morning, when I got home, I came here. Haven't slept… just listened to my heart. It's a loud little thing, I tell you. Makes me do stupid things."

A giggle escaped from her lips. He was cute when he rambled. She knew what she had to do. Her eyes locked with Matt's and she found herself suddenly confident and sure in her words. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he asked with a laugh. "I should be the one apologizing."

The man brought Ayla her breakfast and walked away. As Ayla took a bite of her sandwich, she got another good look at Matt. He was so handsome and confident in himself. She needed someone like that for when she wasn't. He could be her personal cheerleader. The image of Matt in a skirt made her laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing," she told him. "I think we both have reasons to be sorry though."

Matt was quick to agree. "I guess that's settled then."

"So…"

"So…"

The awkwardness filled the air. Ayla didn't know if she had it in her to take the next step and tell Matt she was interested. She couldn't guarantee wouldn't have her dark days ahead and how they could work the difference in between them.

Matt didn't want to scare her. He was determined to take it easy with her and not push her into anything that she didn't want to do. Both were walking on egg shells around each other although they both wanted so much more then they had said so far.

Finally, Matt spoke, "We sure do got ourselves a situation, don't we?"

Ayla smiled.

"Okay, look. I'm not going to leave without getting this off my mind. I like you, Ayla and I know you do too. Don't deny it, please don't. Either you do or you just like to play games. In my mind, you're too nice to do the latter, so I'm going with the first choice here." He pulled her hands onto the table and held them. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since we met. You haven't left that funny little piece of my heart and I think it's meant for you truthfully. I sound like a bad romance comedy right now, but it's the truth."

She nodded. "I… I'm not the easiest person to start a relationship with."

"I know." They exchanged a nervous laugh.

Ayla took a deep breath and then lunged into her past once more, telling Matt absolutely everything. They sat there over a half hour as he listened patiently and nodded occasionally. "I'm sorry," she finally finished. "I just… I don't have the experience anymore. I don't know how to act."

"You don't have to know," Matt smiled. "That's the great thing about destiny. You don't have to know anything sometimes and you'll be fine. Just don't think about it and let emotions rule."

"Can I ask you something?" she asked suddenly.

"Sure."

"Why did you never give up? I mean… I know you're stubborn and all and you like me… but haven't you thought there are other fish in the sea?"

"I knew when I met you this would last forever," he whispered quietly, a blush coming onto his lips.

Ayla had to laugh. "You sound like a country song, Matt Hardy."

"Do you find it cute?" He gave her a cheeky smile.

She thought about Matt said about not thinking about it. Maybe it was time she let her heart do the talking instead of trying to stop it. "I find it adorable, actually."

"Score one for the Hardy Boy charm! And Beth says we don't have any!"

The blonde girl laughed. She had to give it to Beth, if she put up with both Matt and Jeff the girl was one hell of a person. "I can't promise you that I'll always do the right thing," Ayla said in a more serious tone. "I don't know how we'll work out the distance thing or how this will work at all. But I do promise that I'll always give it my all."

Matt stood up and motioned her to stand. Then, he placed his hands on her waist like he hand wanted to when he first met her. Finally, with a soft, sweet smile, he pulled her in and kissed her. When they finally broke apart, Ayla had a huge smile on her face. He could still sense the apprehension in what she was doing but it seemed he wasn't going to have to chase her anymore. It seemed he'd finally won the fight. "As long as you trust me," he told her in a loving tone, cupping her chin "you don't have to worry about anything at all. I promise that I'll never leave you never and it's … well, it's simple as that."

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**I'm a romantic. That's my excuse for all the dorky lines and too-cute stuff. *squeal* And yes, I did quote the song "Simple as That" by Lonestar several times in what Matt said. WHAT, it's a cute song. Hmph. Enjoyed? I HOPE SO. ;D READ AND REVIEW AND UPDATE I SHALL. ^__^**


	14. Epilogue: The American Dream

**Disclaimer:**I don't own anyone that isn't my OC.

**A/N**: ... I am the most impatient person on this Earth. I finished the last chapter so why not put it up? LOL. Oh well. It's short, but it's just a cute little thing. I enjoyed writing this story. oh, and fyi, Abby is based off me. XD LOL. Enjoy!

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**Epilogue:**

"I'm so freakin' glad you picked pink for the bridesmaid dresses," Abby squealed as she danced in circles at the Church. "I look great in pink! Pretty in pink! I'm pretty in pink!"

Ayla cupped her hand around Abby's mouth. "Please be quiet," she said laughing. "I'm nervous as it is!"

"Why?" Abby asked, skipping around, watching as her bridesmaid dress bounced with her. "I called it! How did I know that you were going to marry Matt? Oh, became I'm that good! I know Shannon's married and all, but at least one of my stupid fantasies came true! You should have listened to me."

Ayla rolled her eyes. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

The excited bridesmaid grinned. "Never! Man, I called it. Now just wait. In a few years, when you're telling your kids about how you met their Daddy it's gonna be even better. In a supermarket… over donuts! AND YOUR BEST FRIEND CALLED IT!"

The blonde girl put her hands on her hips. "It's a shame your dress didn't come with a muzzle."

"Ouch!" Abby yelled. "Nice comeback!"

Ayla laughed and stared back in the mirror. "Well, I have been friends with you long enough to learn some good ones." Her hair looked great. She had gotten it done with Beth a few hours earlier and the salon did a wonderful job. Her dress was perfect as well. It fit her the way a wedding dress should. It was a strapless thing, the ends covered in sequins as it rose out toward her feet. She also had a pink shawl for after the ceremony when they were on the lake at the reception (this was of Abby's doing).

"So, are you ready?"

"I'm terrified," Ayla admitted to her best friend with a laugh. "I know I love him but it's just… nerve racking. If you would have asked me three years ago if I'd be married to Matt Hardy… well, I would have never believed it, you know? It's crazy. He's kept every promise he's ever made me and… I just can't believe I'm finally getting my wish."

"The American Dream?" Abby supplied.

The blonde woman smiled at her reflection. "Yes," she glowed. "Finally."

"And you inherited just _the_ cutest dog as a son!"

"Lucas is great," Ayla agreed. "Everyone Matt knows is great. Even… Shannon."

"Puh-lease! You know you loved the reject from day one, man!"

She hugged her best friend. "It's almost time. I'm going to be Mrs. Matt Hardy in less than an hour."

***About an hour later***

"Do you, Matthew Hardy take Ayla Sarver to be your lawfully wed wife?" the priest asked.

"I do." He smiled at Ayla who beamed back with tears in her eyes. Behind her, Abby was eating this up. She had pictured this all along.

"And do you, Ayla Sarver take Matthew Hardy to be your lawfully wed husband?"

She stared at him for a moment, thinking back over the past few years she'd spent with Matt. He'd been wonderful and not once had he broke his promise to her. It wasp perfect; a storybook ending. Finally, she choked out, "I do."

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!"

And as Matt Hardy leaned down to kiss Ayla as his wife, feelings swelled inside of the woman. For the first time in a long time, she wasn't afraid of the future. So as their lips met, she welcomed it with a smile.

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**Again, I'm a romantic! :D So that's it. Simple as That is overrrr. Man, I think I finished this story pretty quick, huh? Oh well. Hey, I might put up a pic of what I based Ayla's dress on, so look out for that on my profile. Other than that, I hope you enjoyed the story... it's as simple as that! ;D ... okay, I'm shutting up now. REVIEW!**


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